Decorative molding and the like



Jan. 15, 1935. c. B. CHATFIELD 1,988,236

v DECORATIVE MOLDING AND THE LIKE Filed June 11, 1934 2 Sheets-Shegi; l

fa/01a. v

1 m c. B. CHATFIELD 1,933,236

DECORATIVE MOLDING AND THE LIKE Filed June 11, 1934 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented Jan. 15, 1935 e r 1,988,236

UNITED STATES PATENT, oFFicE DECORATIVE LMOL'DING AND THE LIKE Charles 'B. 'Chatfield, Grand Rapids, Mich., as-

signor to 'Boynton & Company, Chicago, Ill.,

acorporation-of Illinois Application-June 11,1934, Serial No. 730,119

' 9'Claims. (01. 20-74) This inventi'on relat'es to decorative molding or simulating wood, and this body, whether "a and the like; and the objects andnature of the molding or cornice, or any of the above :m'eninvention will-be understood by'thoseskilled'in tioned bodies, or "any'oth'er decorative bodies to the art in the -=light of the following explanations be embellishedis preferablycomposed of 'wood.

of the accompanying drawings that illustrate ln the fiat :finished ornamental or decorative the preferred mechanical expressionor embodi-' exposed. surface of any suitable body, I sink-an ment ofmy invention from among other forms, elongated, relatively narrow, shallow groove 2, constructions and arrangements thereof within along the lines where the "molding-like efiect is the spirit and scope'of my invention. to be applied in the fiat surface for the embel- 10 An'object of the invention is to economically lishment thereof. This groove isusually parallel m enhance the attractiveness, decorative 'values or with and spaced from side and end edges of the artistic effectiveness of finished surfaces of the-body, and is often in rectangular or otherwood bodies or other surfaces simulating finwise annular form, often marginal or frameished wood,- by providing-such finished surfaces like in form or otherwise.

5 with exposed approximate intaglio molding This elongated groove is preferably YOU-ted 2'5 efiects or relatively narrow strip-like surfaces in the wood body, and an essential characteristhat in-theirfinalfinished'condition are artistitic thereof is the upwardly diverging, outcally sympathetic with said relatively =broad wardly beveled or flaring similar or duplicate finished surfaces, and that faithfully-simulate longitudinal side or edge walls 2a, of the groove,

and give the appearance of hand carving in that. at their top or outer longitudinal edges 20 and integral'with such broad surfaces and their meet the flat top surface 10,, of thebody 1, to bodies. g Y avoi'dthe formation of'a sharp acute angle likely Withthe foregoing, and other objects in vie w toresult in wood splintering or separation, 'but that will become apparent as the following de' on the contrary, to provide-smooth, yet clearly scription proceeds, my invention consists in -"cer" defined, meeting edges between the plane top tain novel advantageous features, combinations surface-and the beveled or diverginggroove edge and/or arrangementsmore fully hereinafter exwalls 2a. plained and specified. The exposed surfaces of these diverging *edge Referring to the accompanying drawings, walls 20., are preferably finished, smoothed or forming a'part-hereof:- otherwise prepare'd for'finishingi. 30

Fig. -1 is a plan view of a po'rtion of a wood The shallow groove with said smooth, -flat,

body having a-fiat relatively broad'top finished diverging edge walls is preferablyformed with surface nembellishedby'azmolding-like design or a central fiat floor 217, in width less than the carving as'anexample of'anapplicationof-my width of the-groove at its top. This shallow,

invention. narrow groove, open through the body surface 35 Fig. 2,-is;a crosssection on the line-22, Fig. 1. to 'be 'emb'elli'shed, can be variously shaped in -Fig. 3is a cross-section-on the line 3-3, Fig. 1. crosssection providedzit'includes duplicate, out- Fig. 4 isaplanview of a woodbody or a'bod'y wardly beveled or diverging edge walls to funcof material having a finished endor edge surface tion as hereinafter explained.

'40 embllishedby a molding-lika'relatively narrow For instance, the groove can be concaved or I design simulating carving in saidbody. arcuate in cross section, see groove =2d, Fig. t),

Fig. '5 is a cross section on the line '5-5,"Fig. 4. forming the longitudinal edge walls, 2e, that i Fig. 6 is a detail top plan of iapor'tion'of the flare *or diverge outwardly on curved lines of body of Fig. 1 showing the groove therein-*before like radius. the application theretoof the-decorative mold- 'The said groove, whatever its cross 'section 45 ing'strip. formgopensthroughthebody surface surface :to Fi 7 is' 'd t p pl nf a l n th-of th be embellished and is designed to receive and mo g p adapted fl o e 'o F fifi center a complementary, elongated molding 3 is bottom P the "molding D strip or filletl, that in crosssection'will substanlength of Fig. 7. V tially'fillthe groove. 50

Thebody to be embllished'canbefthetop This groove that is in the body and opens of an a tic e "furniture; a p e through the body surface to be embellished, drawer end, or 'other'portionof anarticleof fur;- whatever may be the cross sectional form-of t'he niture, or of any other'a'rti'cle "t'ofbe'embellished, groove, is designed to receive, center and hold having a finished, perfectly fiat surface of 'wood a complementary ornamental fillet or molding strip 4, with'the exposed top or outer surface 4a of said strip presenting an ornamental, carveddesign appearance that preferably does not project outwardly beyond the plane of the body surface to be embellished, i. e., is substantially flush with said body surface. In other words, the cross sectional form of this fillet 4, excepting the wide, outer ornamental side 4a, thereof, closely conforms to the cross sectional form and dimensions of and is complementary to the groove and snugly fits therein. The fillet is intended to be permanently secured in the groove by gluing,

by the use of brads, or other fastenings, or otherwise. The opposite longitudinal edge portions of the fillet back are beveled or diverge outwardly to conform with and closely fit the smoothed or finished outwardly diverging edge walls of the The fillets can be composed of strips of wood or other material suitable for they purpose,

groove.

and this fillet, whatever the material composing the same, although Wood is preferred, should preferably be. capable .offinishing to shade or shades and visual characteristics that are artistically sympathetic withthe finish and visual characteristics of the body surface in which the fillet is included for purposes of embellishment and simulation in indicating. to the vision of the observer that the ornamental surface of the fillet is a part of and carved inthe wood body carrying the relatively broad surface in which the fillet surface is included.

The ornamental outer surface 4a, of the fillet is carved by hand or machinery or is otherwise produced to simulate carving and to produce depth as well as mere surface design. This outer or exposed surface of the fillet provides a carveddesign or a design that simulates a carved design, by rounding and/or bevelled design ele,-

mentsshowing depth and by beveled depth cuts, in'such manner that the design depth at intervals e'xtends through the longitudinal edge portions of the fillet, whereby the .opposite edge portions of the fillet present a. notched or irregular appearance, see 40, Figs. 7 and 8, as distinguished from unbroken straight lines.

Thus, whenthe fillet is fitted and permanently secured in its complementary groove in the body surface tobe embellished with the carved surfaces of the fillet of, maximum elevation flush with the body surface, the beveled or diverging longitudinal smooth edge walls of the groove will form the floors closing such edge notches or irregularities of the fillet from below, and the surfaces of such fioors will be visible through said notches and irregularities, giving the design depth, and the appearance of having been carved directly in the body that provides the plane flat surface in which the strip carving or'ornamentation appears.

The front or top side of the fillet forms and provides the strip ornamentation or carving that is inset in saidplane' fiat body surface as a part thereof generally in the level thereof or flush therewith, being the only portion of the fillet or moldingstrip that is revealed or visible from the front of said body surface, but said strip ornamentation is given depth and the true carving effect and appearance, by beveled and/or downwardly curved or rounded surfaces and by openings or breaks extending completely through the fillet to expose, from the front of the body surface, relatively depressed surfaces of marginal portions of the floor of the seat or groove in the body and completely or fully occupied by the fillet upto thelevel of the plane surface of the body, except for the design depth producing depressions, and passages through the fillet along the diverging or beveled side or marginal walls of the groove or socket.

The back of the fillet behind the ornamental ingly to its top longitudinal edges, and hence, 'notches or breaks extending transversely inwardly of said edges through the fillet expose from the front of the fillet the upwardly flaring 'marginal floor portions of the groove, as though produced by beveling cuts of carving tools in working out in the body itself somewhat depressed rounded or beveled design elements,

Fromthe specific standpoint, I prefer to employ pinnate forms of elongated designs for the exposed top or frontside ornamentation of the strip-,moldings or fillets, as more clearly and satisfactorily bringing out the .embellishing or artistic effect desired in association with. the beveled surfaces of the marginal portions of the grooves in the body. v

Thus, the longitudinal axis of the pinnate de.-,

sign is the central longitudinal elevated rib 6, in

one pinnate design shown; whereas, in the, other design form shown; the longitudinal central groove 6a, forms. the longitudinal axis and in both pinnate designs, the opposite side design I elements, such as leaves, kernels, etc. 7, fiow 0ut-' wardly from the stem or longitudinal axis, sometimes rounding or bevelling off with outlining and/,0! separating cuts and beveled portions and separating and outlining notches 40, extending inwardly through the edges of the fillet, with the longitudinal edges of the fillet between the notches longitudinally curved or otherwise formed to'outline theouterlongitudinal edges of successive design elements, contrasting with the straight parallel top longitudinal edges 11), of the routed groove where meeting the plane 10;, of the body. i V

Hand carving of this ,generaltype is very, expensive, in fact, prohibitive in cost for general use on commercial products; v H In.carving the body of wood by-hand toolsjto produce an integral molding effect showing in or through the wood body surface, the hand carver produces the straight longitudinal marginal lines in the wood by downwardly converging. bevelllng cuts to bringthehand' carving. intervening between the beveling cuts, into slight relief; 'I gain this same visual-effect byform'ing'th e' routed groove through the surface of the woodbody with the. upwardly diverging or beveled marginal surfaces, and fitting in such groove a molding strip that thinsv or bevels upwardly andoutwardly at its margins to thus lap onto said diverging marginal surfaces of the groove,

What I claim is:

v 1. An anarticle of manufacture, a-filletmolding for the purposes substantially as described, saidmolding having a relatively wide substan tially fiat front and aback at its. longitudinal marginalportions divergingforwardly to meet the longitudinal edges of the front, said molding adapted-to be, seated in a groove in a body with said front substantially flush with the surface of the opposite longitudinal marginal edges of the molding.

2. An as article of manufacture, strip molding for seating in a marginally flaring groove in a body with the front of said molding substantially flush with and embellishing the surface of the body, the front of said molding being ornamented to present a carved pinnate depth design effect with the longitudinal edges of the molding irregular in outline to conform to and outline the outer longitudinal marginal portions of the pinnate design, and visually expose marginal portions of the flaring groove wall in association with said molding marginal irregularities, in simulation of carving in said body.

3. As an article of manufacture, a fillet strip molding for seating in a groove in a body the surface of which is to be embellished by said molding, the generally flat front of said molding being ornamented to present a carved-design effect having depth carried through the longitudinal marginal edges of the molding for association with the straight line top edges of the groove formed by the meeting lines of said surface and the groove floor.

7 4. As a new article of manufacture, a marginally beveled insert for seating in a substantially complementary marginally beveled socket in a body, the front of said insert presenting an ornamental carved depth design extending through its margin, whereby said insert when seated down in said socket will visually present association of bevelled surfaces of the socket wall with the marginal portion of the insert design, in simulation of carving in thebodyitself.

5. As an article of manufacture, a fillet strip molding having an ornamental longitudinal front face of the full width of the strip, said front face presenting a carved-design appearance having depth, the longitudinal margins of said molding forming the longitudinal opposite side margins of said design,'for contrasting association with the straight longitudinal top edges and the marginal floor portions of a groove in a body in which said molding is seated with its front face substantially flush with the-substantially plane surface of said body. 1

6. A body having an elongated groove through a surface thereof to be embellished, in combination with strip molding having its back substantially complementary to said groove and seated therein with. the longitudinal front of the molding substantially flush with said surface, said front face extending across the full width of the molding and presenting a carved design appearance having deptlr and extending through the marginal edges of the molding for visualassociation with the marginal floor portions of the groove and the longitudinal top edges of the groove, in simulating carving out in and integral with said body.

7. A body having an-elongated shallow groovethrough a surface thereof, the top longitudinal edges of said groove meeting said surface to form straight lines, the floor of said groove forming substantially flat marginal faces diverging upwardly to said straight lines, in combination with a strip molding seated in said groove with its front substantially flush with said surface and at its back substantially complementary to said groove, said front provided with a longitudinal design having depth with the longitudinal margins of the molding forming the marginal outlines of the design for visual association with said straight lines and marginal faces of the groove.

8. A body having a groove flaring, outwardly at its margins, in combination with a molding seated and centered in said groove with the iongitudinal front of the molding extending across the full molding width and substantially flush with said surface, said front provided with a longitudinal design of carved depth effect across the full width of said front with the longitudinal edges of the molding outlining both longitudinal margins of the carved depth design effect visually backed by bevelled surfaces of said groove and in visual asociation therewith in simulation of a design carved in the body itself.

9. A body having a socket sunk in its front and marginally bevelled outwardlyin simulation of carving cutting, in combination with an insert fitted down in said socket with its exposed front face and marginal edge provided with a carved depth design effect outlined by said edge and visually backed by the bevel of said socket, in simulation of carving in the body itself.

CHARLES B. CHATFIELD. 

